Forgotten
by SqueakyPiggy
Summary: A tentative beginning in an AU world, where nothing is as it seems, least of all the people that you meet.
1. The Bitterness of Blood

Alright folks, here's the first half of chapter 1. I'm not sure if I'll continue with the story or not, can't seem to locate someone willing to opinion beta for me. So this is gonna be the psudo-opinion beta. If the overal feeling is of interest I'll continue working on it, if it's an overall feeling of flop then I'll go start from scratch. 

Just keep in mind that it's still a work in progress, that there'll be vagueness and twists that'll cause questions to go stampeeding around the noggin. :) Enjoy.

Disclaimer - Smallville doesn't belong to me, never has, never will. Cade's mine, however, if you wanna play with him, ask first please.

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Shadow slept heavy in the upper reaches of Transcendence, the occasional flashes of colored light only giving the darkness a hue and sparkle before playfully flitting away to caress the writhing mass on the dance floor. Within the black masses a shape or two could be sometimes discerned when a limb drew too close to light's edge or breathy moans and gasps betrayed the protective embrace. In this particular alcove, where the favored patrons or social elite often partook of the muted and secluded enclosure, the dimness held within a figure familiar to this establishment.

Slate gray eyes watched the undulating bodies, cool and detached, with a smoldering intensity that spoke of the barely held rage that roiled beneath. He felt the driving bass pressing his body from his seat, shivering in his blood until it throbbed heavy on the tip of his tongue, a temptation to swallow it down and let it drive him from within. Had it been any other night Lex would have been all too happy to let the rhythm fire up his blood. Happily would have been one of the masses sensuously dancing while looking for that someone who had caught the beat in just the right way that promised a night of passion and release. Had he been anyone else he probably would be…

-- "Mr. Luthor, if this succeeds even half as well as predicted," Ms. Nentouhi gushed quietly as she practically trotted at his side, "This would revolutionize the energy market. None of our competitors have even come close to this stage of testing." Not that Lex could blame the woman; 'half as well' would merit a nomination for a Nobel Peace Price, anything better was just proof that he didn't need to rely upon his father to be successful in his ventures. If this worked better than "half as well" he would be… -- 

Not sitting in a darkened corner brooding into his drink, brushing off blatant attempts from hangers-on once called associate, retinue, but never friend to coax him back into the fold. They came bearing gifts of designer drugs, something to chase the darkness away, they said. Made offerings of their bodies, years of nightly oblivion not quite eradicating their memory of his prowess. '_If you don't want the little lovelies, perhaps you'd rather a different kind of lovely?_' It wasn't until one of his older and more trusted clubbing friends shook his head and said that his father was doing a better job at sucking the life out of him than he had thought possible.

-- "Had you done a better job, Lex, this 'little accident' could have been avoided. Instead of adhering to the project's construction guides you decided, without the board's counsel or approval, to alter the materials without thinking it through," Lionel's sneered words dripped with scorn at his 'apparent' incompetence.

_Lex knew better, however, his father's presence timed just right to catch the lab personnel rapidly departing the smoldering remains of his latest project. He ignored the sting of flesh scraped raw and the trickle of blood behind his ear soaking his shirt to face down his father. "Had you not gone behind me and altered my requisition requests to inferior suppliers and materials this 'little accident' would never had happened."_

_His father drew himself up in a cloak of indignant outrage, seeming uncaring of the straggling lab personnel that had caught the movement and lingered in curiosity, his voice thrumming with emotion, "I did nothing of the sort, Lex. I would appreciate you not casting such aspersions upon my shoulders. Honestly, Lex, act as a Luthor should. Take responsibility for your own actions, don't place the blame on me."_

Lex allowed his features to turn blank as he straightened his shoulders, "Excuse me, I have some incident reports that need my attention." He paused half turned away from his father, "Unless there was another doomed project you wanted to lay at my feet?" --

Fresh rage rolled through his body at the memories, making his blood pound thickly in his head, quickly picking up the tempo that throbbed ceaselessly around him. His fingers twitched around his half empty glass as he watched the lithe form of Cade pick his way down the thin staircase to rejoin the revelry below. Lex knocked back the remaining liquid and rose to his feet, half feeling the burn down his throat and the mild aches pulling across his shoulders.

Cade's knowing smile when Lex smoothly joined the shorter man was brief, he knew that had Lex not have been ready to join the throng he would have continued to glower from the alcove. Red-tipped blond lashes closed over pale jade eyes and a pleased sigh drifted up to Lex's ears as Cade turned his back to Lex and drew his hands to his hips. Lex let his eyes slip to half-mast and his head lean over Cade's shoulder.

"You shouldn't stay away for so long," the petulant-tinged bass-drowned words were more felt than heard. "Spend more time coaxing you to come out and play than having fun."

A light puff of air pushed through his nose was Lex's only response to that complaint before he slowly slid his hands up his dance partner's ribcage. Nimble fingers quickly detected what loose fitting clothes had hidden from his eyes, his tips catching on more prominent ribs than his memory recalled. Cade had been hitting the powder more heavily than usual, something adding more pressure to the strained load. He had felt the thinner man stiffen slightly when his fingers lingered in the valleys but relaxed when those fingers spread wide and crossed the linen clad chest looking to the rest of the world like an embrace.

Lex let his head dip to murmur against a lightly freckled lobe, "Has my father been hounding you lately?"

"No," came the gusty sigh, "but you can't protect all of your acquaintances from your family forever, Lex. There are some things that I need to work out." A nimble shimmy and twist had jade eyes locking hazily into his own, a suggestive leer stretched painted lips, "I wouldn't object to having a friend help me work out a rather persistently stubborn point, might take a couple of days to wear down."

A lazy arch illustrated what 'point' Cade was talking about sending the pounding blood from his head to his groin in a slow pulse that seemed to counter the rushing noise in his ears. A smirk tugged his lips, "I think I might be able to bring a fresh perspective on your problem, help you get a firm grasp on the situation at hand."

"Mmmmm," Cade moaned softly when Lex directed him to turn around once again and let his hands travel to the edge of his pants. Lex let the heat from Cade's body soak into his front as he bent down to tug an earlobe with his teeth causing a shudder to rub against him. Eyes closed they danced a few numbers; it was easy to forget what had driven him to this. At least, until a familiar scent tickled his nose and the slow burning throb low in his loins lurched with a sickening twist in his stomach.

Cade had felt Lex stiffen though his movements didn't slow, momentarily confused but when a thin tendril of jasmine-tiger flower musk wafted by his nose he knew that Lex would not be going home with him this night. Pale thin arms wrapped around Lex's waist, burrowing between the two men even as the tiny female body pressed against his back, easily moving with his to the beat. The subtle squeeze of the slim arms told Cade that she felt his welcome was worn, her claim on Lex's time more important than anyone else's in her mind.

"Thought I might find you here, Lex. Why must you make me come find you in such dismal surroundings?" Her vexed words were pitched just loud enough for Cade to hear as he pulled away from Lex's loosening grasp and turned to face the little woman. Boldly lined light chocolate eyes met his own from behind Lex's still and stiffening form before dismissing him as unimportant, "Haven't managed to burn yourself out yet 'Mite? I would have thought last week's binge would have been enough to tip you that last little bit."

He smirked, a pale imitation of Lex's, as he looked out amongst the other dancers, "You know how it is, Bit, you use as long as some of us have and that last little bit keeps getting further and further away." His unconcerned attitude garnered a scowl, as did his pet name for her. Cade spotted another friend across the floor from where they stood now, plenty of distance to keep her hateful bile from spilling too close to him to ruin the remainder of his evening.

He brought his attention back to Lex's more alert gaze, "I see someone I haven't danced with in quite a while, perhaps next time."

Lex gave a barely perceptible nod, only his eyes giving a plea to take care of himself in Cade's mind before he walked away to hear Bit's parting shot, "Do try to indulge yourself 'Mite, maybe this time you'll be able to achieve the oblivion that you so desperately need."

Lex let weariness seep into his words when he sighed, "Must you do that?"

A throaty laughter spilled from behind him and he felt her body nudge his into moving again, "Not really, but that's what makes it all the more entertaining." Her airy words sobered, taking on a hardness that was more familiar, "Just like I didn't have to come find you tonight."

"Your compassion knows no bounds," drolly delivered between the bass beats, their own little song and dance that was appropriate nowhere yet familiar enough to perform anywhere.

Their ritual called for a period of silence, a test of her will against his resistance to her attempts at temptation, but tonight she wasn't abiding by their unspoken agreement. Tonight she decided to instigate verbally as well as physically. He could handle it, would have to, else this round would be hers.

"I had heard that he lays this setback completely at your feet," a palm brushed down his left flank before strong tiny fingers curled around his knee and moved back up his inner thigh. Before her hand encountered his groin they pulled back over his upper thigh to grip his hip as she continued, "Dominic has orders to begin making arrangements for your transfer to your new fiefdom."

A bead of sweat trickled down his back slow enough to induce a slight shiver, involuntarily conceding the hit to his composure from her barbs. "Funny how you seem to _hear_ so much when you never seem to be there. How can you be so sure any of it is true? After all, only a fool would believe everything they hear."

"You must have been hit harder in the head than you reported if you think that childish parody of an insult would phase me," a soundless laugh puffed against his back causing his shirt to stick slightly to the sweat beginning to gather even as they continued to dance.

"Of course not," he paused long enough to let his mouth curve into a smirk, "Bit. Of course not."

The lightning quick twist to his right nipple spiked a sweetly painful bolt of pleasure straight to his groin, bringing the slow throb that he had managed to push to the back of his mind rushing back in full force. '_Point to me,'_ he thought when he successfully stifled the urge to gasp and arch into her giftedly cruel fingers. He made a mental note to thoroughly thank Cade for coming up with that label for her. '_Want to make sure it's done right…might take days of face to face appreciation.'_

"Ah-ah," came the singsong chide as she moved to sway in front of him. "We can't have your mind wandering off here Lex, pay attention. No wonder you had that unfortunate accident."

"I guess it doesn't say much on the company, hmmm Bit?" Her eyes narrowed at that challenge.

She baited him verbally, pinched and poked him physically, fueling his earlier rage and libido to burn bright in his mind and blood. They both knew where this was going to end up, his resistances to her attempts only serving to make that final event more satisfying to the victor. Brazenly she used today's events to enrage him with her carefully chosen words to forego his promise to reject her should she ever approach him in this way again. She had too many years of experience playing his body for Lex to completely block his responses to her. Especially when he was slightly drunk, more than he should be when dealing with her.

Small hands fisted high in his shirt and began to pull his upper body downwards. Lex didn't resist the positioning of his body; instead he splayed his hands around her waist, thumbs hooking over her hipbones. Eyes hooded when the cat-like stroke of her cheek against his own caused her short black hair to prickle his more sensitive skin. A soft exhalation of warm air gusted on his skin before tiny sharp teeth sank into his earlobe pulling a slow warning growl from his throat. Her tongue flicked playfully at the trapped flesh as she suckled and worried the lobe between her teeth.

Her words were low, barely loud enough over the pounding bass, the air tickling his ear as she talked around his still imprisoned flesh, "I've the limo waiting outside. I've already arranged for a driver to take your car back to the Tower. Unless you don't think you're capable of performing?"

Roughly he pulls her against the proof of his arousal that she had diligently cultivated, slowly dragging his lobe from between her teeth sending shivers down his spine to growl into her own ear, "Let's go, Bit."

It is when he's making his way out the alley door that Lex feels the weight of someone's eyes upon his skin. A quick glance over his shoulder as he's pulled through the fire door reveals to him Cade's lingering gaze. When Cade realized that Lex had noticed his regard, the concern slipped to resignation and then slid away before the door closed, severing the connection that he had tentatively built earlier this night.


	2. The Bitterness of Blood cont

This is part 2 to Chapter 1 - The Bitterness of Blood. Resubmitted the first half cause I caught some mistakes and corrected them, shouldn't change the general feel though so don't worry that you've missed something because I changed things.

Warnings - This chapter has a very heavy sexual feel to it, m/f pairing and my first attempt at something of this nature. Usually I write comedy so this was quite a challenge to me. I'm expecting some "OMG! YOU SICK MONKEY!" and some "Write more!" so just curious as to what I'll actually get. LOL.

Chpt 1 - Part 2

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The journey from the club to his penthouse in the Luthor Tower was a study in self-restraint more than anything else. Muttered curses about how nice it would be for once not to have to track "his hairless blinding-white ass through every pit trying to pass as a club" pitched just loud enough for the driver to overhear. Of course she'd made exasperated noises as she attempted to manhandle him into the limo without his help, but if she wasn't going to ask nicely...

The partition stayed open during the ride, the hapless driver's face showed two spots of high color in the rearview mirror betraying his embarrassment at hearing Lex's transgressions in all of its exaggerated, sordid detail. With one part of his mind he wondered why Mitchell wasn't driving as he usually did whenever she had deemed he had to be hauled away, had Lionel required his services this night?

Their usual driver wouldn't have been surprised if Lex had come tumbling through the club side door wearing nothing more than a skimpy set of pale rose silk and lace lingerie, stiletto heels, and had someone buried balls deep while Lex actively tried to smudge his lipstick by enthusiastically sucking off another man. No, Mitchell had ruined _that_ spectacular entrance by not opening the limo door for them. Not that it fazed their threesome beyond the time that it had taken to identify the source of the collision and the reason. Lex had heard that their impromptu wax job on the outside of the limo had taken the detailing crew over six hours to remove. His father had commented in passing that whatever the crew had decided to use this time around had better been replaced before the end of the day, he didn't need to add that they would be replaced if they failed in their task.

Lex snickered at that fond memory, trying to distract Bit long enough with his unusual displays of humor to raise the privacy partition. Of course, she kept returning the window to its open position, laughing at his attempts of obtaining privacy, teasing chides for being "such a naughty Lexy! The window _needs_ to stay open." One of her cruel hands would grasp his rigid cock, increasing the pressure until he'd grunt softly and tried to ease her grip while shifting away without being overt in his actions. Between loud declarations she'd lave his ear with lewd whispers of how much she was looking forward to the final showdown when they reached the penthouse.

They both held themselves in check until the penthouse door clicked shut, then she was upon him faster than he had time to draw breath, pushing him forcefully into the door; she single-mindedly ruined his shirt with her painted mouth latched onto his right nipple, bruising the flesh with her teeth. The echoing pang twisting low in his gut caused Lex's breath to catch lightly in his throat as he worked to pull away from the doorknob digging sharply into his lower back. Lex trailed his thumbs slowly up the small spine, the muscles reflexively rolling smoothly upwards like a wave preceding the leading edge of his hands. When the motion of her body forced her to release his imprisoned nipple with a thrown back head and a gasp he moved in quickly to dispense his own brand of torture.

Sharp nips to her jaw line from her ear to her chin leaving a path of reddened flesh. The darts of pleasure-pain set her trembling within his grasp, but he wasn't satisfied with such calm responses. Determination pulsed in his veins, he wanted to hear her whimper, feel her writhe beneath his touch, taste the proof of her defeat. A lean thigh slid between her legs as he stepped further away from the door, hands sliding down her back to firmly stroke the inward curve with his palms and wrapped his fingers around the curve of her ass.

A guttural groan burst from her throat as her knees buckled driving her firmly against Lex's leg. He could feel the heat between her thighs soak into his flesh as he bent her back, nearly fully supporting her meager weight over his left arm. Feasting his eyes on the banquet of exposed flesh at his disposal, Lex took his time deciding where to tease next while his right hand slipped beneath her top to caress the taut muscles of her abdomen.

The slight and sudden tension in the bowed column of her throat drew his eyes momentarily but he decided to move in from a different direction. Slowly Lex drew the arch of her back tighter, further thrusting her small breasts up as his right hand ghosted feather light over the pebbling peaks. A shaky drawn in breath as he lowered his head lured a predatory twist to Lex's lips before they parted and began to undo the small buttons in her blouse. As each pearl gave way to his nimble lips the pale apricot fabric spread open under its weight revealing tanned abs that quivered and flexed with each quickening breath that she sucked in.

When the last button fell before his persistence Lex pulled her clutching hands away from his shirt. Displaying a gentleness that she had not expected Lex mouthed open the pearl buttons that bound the cuffs around her wrists before he set them aside with a nibble and kiss. Her blouse fluttered to the floor once her arms dangled free, a cream-colored bra an inadequate protection from his gaze and touch. Slow, firm brushes of his thumb, as he mouthed around the more sensitive lower ribcage, raised rigid nipples trying to hide their darkened tips behind the intricate patterns in the lace.

A near imperceptible exhalation as her hands fluttered up towards his own, his only hint that he was not performing as she would have preferred. Lex pulled back to watch his right hand being pressed more firmly against her breast, her tiny fingers squeezing the nipple entrapped between his thumb and forefinger, releasing a pleased moan. He felt her weight shift before he heard the slow drag of soft leather rubbing against his trouser leg as she brought her booted foot alongside his head, caressing the bare flesh.

The bold black lines of her lashes parted revealing the expectation in the slivers of her brown eyes, the tip slowly dragging down the backside of his skull. She knew how much he hated being given commands, hated having his head touched, yet her conscious disregard of his wants in favor for her own spoke greatly of the influences in her upbringing. Slate locked with chocolate when he ignored her wants to sufficiently demonstrate who was deciding when and where events happened. Another slow caressing nudge with her foot with just enough of the edge of her sole to irritate the skin, delivered with a knowing quirk of her lips. Bit's arrogant behavior was enough to fan the embers of his earlier rage, driving his slow pursuit of his own pleasure closer towards an impassioned display of animalistic frenzy.

Quick and sharp, the sudden tugging twist to her entrapped nipple closed her slitted eyes. Eyes narrowing with renewed heat Lex released the abused nub to her own cruel ministrations. A long stroke up her extended leg muscles before his hand firmly grasped her boot and pulled it off and tossed it behind them to land near the front door. She wasted no time while his arm was occupied; the raised leg dropped to hook around his back and pulled her body closer to his own. His right arm came around to take the left's place as he removed her remaining shoe to join its mate in the foyer, leaving him free to carry her towards his bedroom.

They nearly crashed to the floor twice in a tangle of limbs when she nearly slipped from his grasp with her writhing. The fact that she was trying to suck his brains out of his mouth while stroking their groins together with her rolling hips didn't help keep his legs steady and true beneath him. She had lost her bra at some point between the living room and the hallway, his shirt having jumped ship not long after they collided with the spare bedroom's doorjamb. Encouragement and demands gutturally moaned against teeth bruised shoulders as they traveled closer to the bedroom. Muffled curses slipped from both of their lips when each of their wants was ignored in favor of frustration to ratchet up their need. Her fingers press deep into his neck and back while her legs grasp tightly around his waist, knees bracketing his ribs to constrict his breathing to make him labor for his air.

Her hand scrabbled at the doorknob releasing the catch just as he started to lurch forward, thrown slightly off balance from the diminishing supply of oxygen in his blood. When the door swung wildly open it collided with the wall with a resounding crash that cracked the thin intricately hand carved molding with the doorknob. Her body slammed up against the wall with a thump that follows the door collision close enough to mimic the ghostly bass tempo that still thrummed in his blood. The move elicits a muffled thrilled squeal from her throat, too busy mapping his mouth with her tongue to give it proper voice. A close by painting rattles against the wall, the heavy ornate frame voicelessly chiding him for his surrender to his emotions.

'_God, I hate that fucking painting,'_ he snarls mentally as he grinds his arousal into her with a harsh grunt. He briefly entertains the possibility of fucking her against the wall, hard enough to excise his anger, until the damn thing fell off the wall under its own pretentious weight. Then he'd be left with one less thing that bears his father's heavy touch, his attempts to make Lex more in Lionel's own ideal of how a Luthor heir should be. Ideals on how to think, whom to read, what to say, which art styles were befitting of a Luthor's attention; all chosen to cultivate the emotionless pinnacle of success.

Another slow push sending heat racing through his stomach, his eyes flutter open to see the dark half moons of her lashes resting upon her flushed cheeks. Pinpricks of multicolored lights race in his vision warning of impending collapse, he takes another leisurely stroke, enjoying the sensation of oxygen-deprived pleasure. Wicked laughter rippled from her throat when he wrenched his mouth away from hers to suck in air greedily, distant memories of his asthmatic years sending his heart tripping through a cadence momentarily fueled by panic before anger and lust gripped the reins once again.

Lex bit down sharply on the tender bruised skin at her collarbone for her impudence. Hands continued on their paths up her sides to cup her small breasts, worrying the straining peaks with his thumbs, earning a strong shudder and breathy keen. Her hips rolled restlessly against his groin, the heat making his cock twitch, eager to be buried within the sweltering wet depths.

Another restless shimmy accompanied with an impatient whine gave him cause to smirk against her skin where he was busy deepening the trail of bruises around the bone. Sharp nails drag deeply up his back making his arch back with a cry that petered out into a gasp, the fissions of the unexpected pleasure-pain coursing along his nerves, pulsing in his cock, distracting him enough that he failed to notice her right leg slipping off his hip.

The blow to the back of his knee is unexpected, sudden, sending him forcefully into the ground knocking the air out of his lungs and driving her painfully against his swollen member. She rides out the falling and subsequent arching of his body with an arm thrown back for balance as if he were a mechanical bull, peals of excited laughter falling about his ringing ears. Lex managed to blink away the bursts of light flashing in his vision in time to see the raised arm rush down and clamp over his mouth and nose before his lungs could recover. His diaphragm convulsed painfully, his hands reaching up to remove the blockage but was slapped away, then he felt only gratification surge through him with the full-bodied slide that rubbed the length of his dick.

Black mist had started to creep over the edges of his vision, broken only by the rushing spots of light when her hand moved, his loud sucking gasp masked the sound of his zipper being worked open. He had only enough time to register the coldness of the air on his overheated skin damp with pre-cum and sweat when his indrawn breath in and gusty exhale warped into a choked shout. Pleasure bolted through his limbs from his cock with each sucking twist of her tongue around the circumcision scar, sending his limbs twitching and shifting with the conflicting need to crawl away and get closer.

Lex's hand tangled in her short hair as he took his pleasure from her mouth, slow shivers wracking his frame as one tiny hand gripped the base of his cock tightly, tongue fluttering over, under, around, counterpoint to the rapid tempo that thumped in his head. Nails dragged with maddening slowness across his sack, dipping into the crease at his right hip, raking furrows up his side even as firm suction tugged at his sanity while release taunted him from a safe distance away.

"The bed would be more comfortable," his usually smooth voice sounding more like roughened gravel, the suggestion growled out commandingly, reinforced by the slightly impatient tug to the hair caught between his fingers. She paused momentarily in her ministrations; he felt her lips pull away from his flesh in a smirk, his verbal impatience conceding the point to her control. A final swipe with her tongue to the head of his cock before she let gravity pull it from between her teeth, she stood revealing that she had stripped off her remaining clothes while she blew him. She lightly stepped over his body as she leisurely moved towards his bed, features set in haughty lines despite the hunger that burned in brightly in her eyes.

Lex was on his feet and pressing against her petite frame before she finished crawling onto the bed, trapping all but her left leg against the mattress under her body and his. She pressed up hard against him trying to throw him off, but only managing to move him slightly and settling his sex more securely in the cleft of her ass, the head of his penis sliding teasingly against her wetness. He dropped his mouth next to her ear as his hand reached around her waist to dip his fingers into warm liquid silk.

A firm stroke to her clit had her clenching around his two fingers, pushing harder against their intrusion, using him for her own pleasure even as he growls out, "That's it Bit, show me how much you want this." Lex undulates his fingers, spreading them, flickering and stroking to pull more wetness from within, "Tell me how you want me to make you scream, how you want me to fuck you until you can't walk tomorrow, let alone stand."

Her breathing turned ragged when his voice petered out into a hiss, chest dropping to lay flat on the comforter, the cool fabric stimulating her sensitive nipples sending tremors racing through her body. "Yesssss, fuck me hard Lex, show me you're your own man and not just your daddy's puppet," she hissed back, thrusting her ass upwards and back to push against Lex's pelvis, dragging his fingers against her swollen clit as they slid out of her body.

When her taunting words of him being his father's puppet fell from her lips rage burned anew, vision-hazing crimson rushed to fill his head. "Bitch!" he snarled as he pulled away from her, the crack of flesh slapping flesh sounded followed closely by her gasp. Lex didn't give her time to pull away, his hands dispensing stinging swats to the rounded flesh of her bottom, alternating sides and hands that he held her by until she lay before him gasping, writhing. Sobs of pleasure issued from bite swollen lips even as she bowed her back tighter to tremblingly offer herself for more, knees spread wide showing her pussy glistening wet with need.

He had to squeeze the base of his cock tight at the sounds filling his ears, the handprints blooming cardinal red across upturned flaxen-toned cheeks, filling his vision, heated flesh warming his front even as the room chilled his back. Lean fingers traced feather soft touches on the edges of the inflamed area, eyes touching upon the generous evidence of his punishment upon her fair skin. Further up on her back he could see faint beginnings of bruising where his fingertips had gripped too tightly, certain that he bore a multitude of similar marks. He held his breath, stilling the soft panting to hear the sounds of growing need pouring from the woman on his bed. Savoring the stimulation he moved towards the bedside table with a final caress to her reddened ass.

The cool latex sheath being rolled onto his cock was enough to pull him from the edge of orgasm, giving him enough control to know he wouldn't embarrass himself by finding release too early and conceding the night's activities to her despite having won several rounds. Trailing two fingers through the gleaming wetness he felt the minute tremor and pressed in slowly until his fingers were fully inside. Scissoring his fingers he briefly stretched and stroked her to ensure the path was sufficiently prepared for his use, riding out the thrusting of her hips against his hand before he pulled his fingers away and slipped deep inside with a low moan.

Eyes slid to half-mast as he wrapped his fingers around rounded hips until the tips hooked the bone, his grip such that he knew there would be bruises come morning. Lex held her in stillness until he couldn't resist the need to move any longer, pulling out with a torturous slowness that set the walls surrounding him to fluttering. Rubbing small circles with his thumbs on what redness he could reach to relax and sooth he drove in until he was bottomed out, directing the tilt of her hips and adjusting the lay of her body until he could feel the hardness of her pelvic bone press the underside of his cock with every movement.

Deliberate, pleasure-bolting strokes out, heartbeat gaining speed, muscles rolling, and breath shortening; his voice yielding faint moans easily covered by the more vocal whines from below. A pause with the head of his cock perched at her entrance, tendons bunch and hips snap forcefully forward pushing deep and pulling enthusiastic thrusts backwards in response. He allowed her freedom enough to push herself harder into his rhythm, slow inhales and fast exhales, the breath of frenzy in their movements.

It didn't take long before she started muttering, gaining volume as he pressed harder and pulled faster. He heard her speak about his failures in his father's eyes, his failures in his projects, his failures in being man enough to finish her off. Lex didn't care if she was going to insult him but he'd be damned if she wasn't going to do so to his face. He jerked out with a hiss and roughly pushed her to the bed, rolling her onto her back before he grabbed her legs to open her to his assault. Triumph blazed in her eyes as he sank deep, holding his body over hers, feeling the small heels settle at the small of his back.

Muscle memory recalled the fluid movements of his hips earlier in Transcendence when he had danced with Cade, his mind easily able to recall the driving beats that had retreated to the background. Lex found his mind wandering, the increased vocalization of her pleasure marred by flashes of the accident that caused the severe setback to his project and drawing his father's scorn in yet another fashion. Bit's neck arched back to expose the vulnerable column, drawing his gaze and his full attention back to the body writhing under his own.

Lex dropped to his forearms and lowered his head to her neck, nibbling up and down her throat in varying severity that caused her inner muscles to flutter deliciously around his shaft. Chants of "Bite me! Please, bite me," accompanied with spurring thumps to his flanks and nails marking a frustrated bloody path on his back grant him permission to bite painfully hard at the thin skin that lay in the hollow of her throat. Her perfume's scent was strongest here, filling his nose even as his teeth worried the skin, tongue rubbing at the trapped flesh. Bitterness filled his mouth as he sucked a dark bruise onto her skin, coating his tongue even as he swallowed to rid himself of the flavor.

The disgust at having a mouthful of her perfume in his mouth didn't stay in the forefront of his thoughts for long, her ear-piercing wail as she clamped tightly around him before the inner walls rippled, milking his fast-following orgasm for all its worth. He stayed buried deep within her warmth, head hanging as he panted resisting the urge to shiver at the cooling sweat on his back, the warm gusts of her breath over his bare head. Lex waited just long enough to feel the last fluttering around his cock before he patted her thigh to get her to release his hips so he could withdraw.

Lex gave her a halfhearted smirk at her muttered complaints even though her eyes remained closed to his amusement, the bathroom calling his name with a siren's song he didn't want to resist. The brighter lights caused him to squint momentarily, eyes adjusting by the time Lex discarded the used condom and stepped into the shower. Lex moaned with pleasure when the sharp needles of water massaged tensed muscles, hissed when the water sluiced over the raw skin on his back, a faint pink tinge in the water as it flowed down the drain.

He made short work of his ablutions, unwilling to leave Bit unattended in his bedroom longer than necessary, especially as she didn't seem inclined to join him in the shower. Sleepy chocolate eyes passed pointedly over his nudity when he stepped out of the bathroom before meeting his own eyes with a delicately arched brow. He merely smirked as he flicked his own questioning gaze around the bedroom, touching upon the still discarded clothes before returning upon her sheet-covered body.

"You could have picked up after yourself, Bit," he chided as he moved towards the half open door where their pants ended up, a slight grimace at the sad state he could see his pants were in.

"But that's what I have you for, Lexy-pooh," she purred teasingly, the burgundy sheets whispered as she rolled to the side to watch him clean up, the edge gaping open slightly in invitation should he wish to partake of her body again.

He allowed himself a mental snort at her 'I-have-a-secret' smile, she was unwisely secure in her childish attempts to manipulate him into doing as she wished. She was too young still, had no appreciation for the art of true subtle manipulation, the type even he could grudgingly admit to admiring in his father and wanted for himself. Lex wouldn't have considered this a victory had he been where she was; he was smart enough not to count the fight won unless it was an absolute victory. He could still not pick up her clothes and force her to retrieve them; she'd have to dress to leave the penthouse after all.

It's when he straightens that the vertigo crashes into him hard enough that he felt like he toppled up instead of down before he could fully stand. Lex tried to move his arms to pick himself up, the limbs feeling like rubber as they twitched uselessly where they lay. The carpet fibers tickle his nose as he pants, thoughts of heart attacks and strokes filling his panicked mind, suddenly too hot even as he shivered prostrate on the floor. His panting covered the sounds of her leaving his bed, the sheets whispering against themselves, but his wobbly mind registered her presence when Bit pushed him over onto his back. The sting of his flesh allowed Lex to focus his sliding vision upon her face as it leaned ever so slowly towards him. The bass was back in his blood, in his head as his heart raced, counting out the rapid tempo at which his world careened out of his control. Lex thought he heard her say something to him, her obscenely perfect painted lips parting, her soft voice sliding down the registers becoming like a man's.

"Be sure to say hello to daddy for me, dear brother," and the last thing he thinks, as the darkness closes around him, is that her voice tasted as bitter as her scent.


	3. The Companion

Here it is, the next chapter for those of you who've been waiting patiently to see where this was leading. Hope you enjoy reading, I'll be working on the next chapter.

* * *

"Thank you for your prompt response to our summons, Mr. Peterson. The Administrator will be with you next. Please, have a seat while you wait." 

"Not in a rush today, young lady, figure these old bones could use a sit-down," the slow cadence of the old man's drawl lent strength that had been lost to age.

Lex's heart gave a painful start as he turned in his seat towards the woman's lilting voice behind him. He furrowed his brow slightly when he couldn't place a face to the very appealing voice, he was fairly certain that he wasn't going insane; last he knew he had been at home. Lex didn't remember coming to this office, he couldn't bring to mind any place within the Tower that would have been allowed to harbor such warmth. Lex could only make out what appeared to be an unusual silver leafed bonsai tree tastefully displayed upon a short onyx-colored column through the slightly open door. A softly cleared throat turned his attention back to where it should have been, back to the older black woman seated behind the heavy oak desk looking at him expectantly.

Her vivid blue eyes were the most arresting feature on her face, clearly displaying patience with an underlying amusement reinforced by the kindly curl of her full lips. The furrow between his brows deepened a little further when he took in all of her features, the russet colored hair with the touch of silver fanning from her temples familiar in that distant memory kind of way. Casually, he observed the rest of the room, cataloging the wall of leather hand bound books, the titles done in a gold script that he could not place. Upon her walls were paintings of unusual flora that held vague resemblances to the plants his mother had at one time tended in the solarium. The soft golden light filtering through the pale stained glass windows fell upon the furnishings in such a way that the very room seemed ethereal.

From the corner of his eye he saw that her smile changed, stretched across her face to reveal a single gold-capped molar when the right corner parted. Lex reined in his curiosity, determined to regain some measure of control so that he could find out what it was she was waiting for, why he sat on the wrong side of the desk. Reflexively he went to smooth out his clothes, ensuring that his appearance was impeccable no matter what unexpected situation he found himself in, yet in the back of his mind the random fearful thought of naked dreams skittered through.

'_Now,'_ he told himself reasonably, '_I'm a Luthor, Lex Luthor, and I wouldn't be caught dead visually checking to see if I was wearing anything. No, I'm smoother than that, it's perfectly normal wealthy and affluent behavior to straighten out your clothes before launching your assault."_

He was, thankfully, dressed, but the textures that his fingers were reporting had to be mistaken. Time seemed to slow as his gaze released its lock upon the hauntingly familiar face across from him, slid across the curiously decorated desk, and dropped to verify what his hands had frozen on. Faded denim, well-worn denim and a very low-end dress shirt? He pinched the soft fabric between his fingers, rolling it to be certain; this was something he wouldn't usually wear, not even in his dreams. Lex didn't even think he owned anything as well used as these clothes, ever.

'_Has to be a dream,' _he thought a bit stunned. A slightly ink stained finger rubbed at a particularly thin spot on his left knee, '_There's a hole forming on my knee for Christ's sake!'_ Softly he pulled in a steadying breath and squarely met the woman's eyes, resolution filling his body as he opened his mouth to speak. Just as his diaphragm tightened to push the words from his opened mouth a loud commotion erupted from the adjoining room pulling his gaze, once again, to the slightly open door.

"I want to see the Administrator now! This," the sounds of paper being violently shaken easily heard in the paused tirade of the angry woman, "is utter bull shit!"

The calm modulated tones of the woman who had distracted him earlier sounded again, the lilting notes showing a woman clearly not impressed by the strident words of the upset person confronting her, "The Administrator is busy with someone at the moment, you will have to wait."

"Like hell I will!" The shrieked words moved closer, strict tutelage under his father's exacting hand giving Lex the fortitude not to wince at the assault on his ears. His perception of time slowed again as the door swung fully open to admit the source of the disturbance. '_I sense a disturbance in the Force…,'_ his brain stupidly spouted off when he registered the identity of the woman barging into the Administrator's office.

"Lana?" Hazel green eyes flickered towards him at his incredulous tone, measuring before dismissing him entirely, the lack of recognition in the contact-less orbs chilling his blood more thoroughly than any of his sister's past cuts. It was enough to make him doubt that she was who he thought she was, but no, this woman shared the same size and coloring. She was pretty, in a fresh innocence kind of way; it reminded him of when his stepsister first came to live with his father and himself. She didn't stay that way for long, that kind of pretty didn't seem to last long in his world. Metropolis quickly chipped away to her vulnerable center and hardening it until it was diamond tough, reflecting the bitterness and hardness that was the city back at the world around her…he frowned as that turn of phrase seemed to rouse another distant thought.

"What the hell is this!" Though the mild expletive seemed wrong coming from this apparition of his sister, the forcefully demanding tones were just as he remembered her to be. The livid rage written across her softer face seemed just as foreign as she slaps an official looking document upon the desk, long dark tresses swaying with the force of her movements.

The Administrator seemed to be nonplussed about this intrusion, exuding a calm bordering on boredom, bringing to Lex's mind the random idea that this matronly woman would have fit right in as a school official. Possibly his office, he admits to himself, as this was a quality in his workers that he would normally woo away from another party. However, he knows next to nothing about this woman save that her title is "Administrator." A random thought blossoms; she could easily have been employed by his father to further push the advantage in his own favor when dealing with his adversaries. After all, who would suspect the warmth and caring, the laugh lines that set him at ease, which conversely leads him to feel more guarded against such weakness. Silently he tipped his mental hat to the older woman, steeling himself against her motherly bearing, as she retrieves the oft-abused paper.

The Administrator looks over the paperwork as if she had never seen it before, the mildly interested and open expression disappearing like wispy smoke from her face and she speaks for the first time that Lex can recall. "It is a change of status notification," her aged voice emotionally void after reviewing the words. He's not sure why a change in status would result in such a cold, impersonal response, but the delivery was enough to draw his undivided attention.

"I know that!" her impassioned outburst seemingly excessive in the face of the Administrator's glacial calm.

Lex watched as the calm mask shifted towards irritation, disapproval clear in her voice, "If you were aware of what this was, why are you wasting my time by asking?"

"_Why_ have I been removed from Companion Status?" Lex watched the interchange between the two women, filing away tidbits of information for future use just as he had been taught at his father's knee.

At least she wasn't yelling anymore, which could only be an improvement as the irritated expression smoothed into the carefully neutral mien that matched the impersonal tone of voice, "Your presence was deemed to be non-supportive in this current situation that we find ourselves in."

The young woman's face screwed itself into a familiar expression of petulance that made it difficult to think of her as a different person than his stepsister, despite the many glaring clues that she was. "I've been his Companion for the past eighteen years, I refuse to be put aside as if I were incompetent."

'_See? There's that 'non-supportive' attitude that landed you in this situation in the first place,'_ his mind uncharitably quipped as was his habit when he usually listened to Lana try to force his father's position on something she wanted.

"I understand and appreciate your dedication to your position-" began the Administrator.

'_Allow me to translate for you – "You're getting on my last nerve…"'_

"You're very skilled in allowing him to care and comfort you-"

'_You're needy and self-centered.'_

"However, you don't have much skill or practice in returning the favor, -"

'_You couldn't offer sincere comfort even if your life depended on it.'_ Lex carefully maintained the polite disinterested expression as he allowed his 'inner-bitch,' as Cade was fond of calling it, out to play.

"- And _that_ is what is currently needed. He needs to be accompanied without being needed."

'_You're not right for him, whomever 'he' happens to be, lucky sap doesn't realize what a blessing this was for him.'_

"Your status will be reevaluated once this crisis is passed."

'_Good luck with that,' _his inner voice snickered even as he watched the Administrator carefully refold the documents and handed them back to his step-sister's clone, who took them quietly.

"Until then, you will conduct yourself as befitting a personage of your status. Good day." The manner in which the curt dismissal was delivered reminded Lex of Lionel's execution. The Administrator didn't even consign to look her in the eye after the documents were identified. It was odd, in Lex's mind, how she wouldn't make eye contact. Yet, Lex could see it wasn't done because of guilt or weakness on the Administrator's part, it was more along the lines of Lana now not being good enough to acknowledge fully.

The Administrator turned her full attention back towards him making certain to look him in the eye, effectively dismissing the woman standing beside her from sight and mind, and in a voice rich with warmth and kindness asked, "Have you given thought to your options?"

From the corner of his vision he saw that Lana had bowed her head and retreated out the door silently, pulling it closed to where it was before her intrusion. Lex gave a moment's pause at the uncharacteristic behavior before pulling from his I-wasn't-paying-attention bag of questions for gleaning more information from situations that he was unprepared for by asking, "What are the points to note about each of my options?"

* * *

'_You know,'_ his inner voice started off conversationally while he considered his possibilities, '_that was one of the most descriptive job run downs for a dream.'_ His choices were not extensive; some positions were only for permanent residents of the city, while the more transitory residents could be only placed in others. A few positions had some of the strangest titles, yet there were some he knew he was not cut out for, like Enforcer and Zone Maintenance. One in particular held the most appeal, allowing him to change roles as was required, for all intents and purposes Lex would answer to no one but the elusive 'He.' 

When Lex expressed interest in the Companion position the Administrator's eyes fairly glowed with her happiness at his curiosity. She told him that this position basically provided a well stocked home as part of his wages in the "Old City" District, which happened to be "very nice" and had "phenomenal views." All he had to do for this position? Be whatever "He" needed him to be, though the Administrator wouldn't give him a name, despite Lex's many attempts in tripping one out of her. Be a companion, make him comfortable, act as an older brother, she told him, and hey, he had a younger brother once, Lex was pretty sure he could deal with another without too much trouble.

"He" was younger than Lex according to the Administrator, by how much was to be found out when he met the guy. Lex was intrigued by the extent the Administrator went through to avoid naming actual names, often referring to the people by their titles, explaining when he asked, "It is too easy to be forgotten if you are only known as a name, it is when you perform the role issued to you that you are truly remembered."

To say that the Administrator was very happy with his decision to becoming a Companion was an understatement. She provided him with an IDC chip-card with one of the friendliest smiles he had ever seen cross her face and a gentle motherly admonishment to keep it with him at all times else he'd become lost. Lex couldn't help but grin softly in return for that as he slid the card into his left pocket. Becoming lost in one's dreams was a given, but if it made her feel better…

"Ah, there you are, young one," warmth and fondness pulling Lex from his musings. "I need you to take our newest Companion to the Music Room so that he may become more familiar with his duties."

Lex rose smoothly to his feet as he turned towards the doorway to find a young girl barely entering her adolescence unabashedly looking him over. Her bright green eyes blazed with shameless curiosity, the whimsically cut blond hair quivering with her barely suppressed questions. Light flashing in his eyes drew his attention to the multitude of tiny reflective mirrors dangling from her lime green tank top. Baggy olive colored multi-pocketed pants secured with a length of knotted coarse rope and a pair of very scuffed combat boots completed her eccentric attire. Pink lips stretched wide revealing small white teeth and a fair hand shot out and tugged his captive hand into the sitting room he had no recollection of entering.

Resisting the insistent tugging on his hand to move faster, Lex slowed to get a better look around the room. He watched an older gentleman with silvered hair move slowly to his feet when the assistant informed him that the Administrator was ready for him. The sun-weathered skin was lined with many creases telling tales of laughter and pains that Mr. Peterson had experienced in his considerable age. Lex was somewhat shocked when the slightly rheumy eyes met his own without a trace of the usual disgust and rancor his countenance typically generated.

"You'll do just fine, son. Good kids usually do just fine here." Lex managed to refrain from flinching when the gnarled hand clapped his shoulder, but at the generous words he could not stave off the look of confused shock. The man obviously was not from Metropolis, the faded red plaid flannel over shirt speaking of a rural lifestyle, far away from the headlines that loudly exposed his proclivities for debauchery in all its forms. Had he truly known who it was he offered the kind gesture and words to, Mr. Peterson would have given the condemnation Lex was more accustomed to receiving, of that he was sure.

Lex was pulled from the office with an impatient yank that sent him stumbling through the decorative archway and hustling down wide corridors. Coltish legs easily maintained the initial trotting pace that tested the limits of his stride as she led him around the complex, he refused to be seen jogging inside, it was un-Luthor-like. The young girl tactfully waited until they had taken several corners off the main hallway and was making their way down a side passage before releasing his hand and plied him with chatter.

"My older sister is one of the best Info-Brokers ever," the short golden hair flared at the sudden turn of her head when she looked at him, bright flashes of light bouncing off of her shirt onto everything around them.

Lex smiled slightly to show he was listening before she looked away, another turn taken and talking continued, "I want to be just like her when I grow up. You have to know _everything_ before you can be the best though."

The sudden stop nearly had him colliding with her as she planted tiny fists on her cocked hips, head tick-tocking from side to side as she mimicked her sister's voice, "Be the best at what you do, Sis. No one can tell ya that you didn't do all you could if you do your best all the time."

An exasperated sigh as she pivoted on her heels to grace him with one of the most impressive eye-rolls he had ever seen, "Well duh! How could I _be_ the best if I don't _do_ my best?"

Lex didn't think an answer was required of him; the young girl simply flung her arms wide, a brief sound of exasperation as she spun around and started climbing the set of stairs they had arrived at. "Soon I'll be able to move up from Info-Guide to currier. After a couple of years, at the longest mind you, I'll move up to runner, digger, and then finally broker."

Lex remembered some of those positions mentioned to him by the Administrator. A job class that was available to both types of residents and one where everyone held the minor role of Info-Holder. Essentially, if you knew something, anything, then you were a holder, and obligated to share that information with any member of the Information Class. He thought it a rather perverse way of ensuring that there were no secrets, yet privacy could be maintained if the person requesting information didn't know how to ask the _right_ questions.

"It sounds like a difficult job to advance in," he told her as he tried to keep track of path they had taken, "I'm sure you'll do beautifully."

She flashed him a wide grin, cheeks pinking with pleased embarrassment, "Not as hard as your job, at least we have a network to fall back on. You're on your own as a Companion"

"Is that so?" he mused aloud.

"We call you guys 'fantasies,' it's a dream job when it comes to the perks, but you gotta be fluid to fill the main man's needs." The quick pace slowed to a stop as she frowned in serious thought.

Lex watched the girl think, golden brows scrunched over downcast eyes before she seemed to come to a decision and met his eyes steadily. "To tell the truth," she spoke softly and Lex found himself leaning a bit closer to hear. "I don't think he knows what it is he needs."

Seriousness settled upon her features after her statement, but before he could ask her to elaborate, she reached out a closed fist and gave a quick single rap upon a cleverly disguised door and darted away. Lex heard nothing coming from within, but this is where the girl had delivered him as per the Administrator's direction. Quietly, he opened the door revealing a round room with a pale yellow stained glass domed ceiling filtering the same soft golden sunlight that had lit the Administrator's office.

Lex stepped fully into the Music Room as he observed the furnishings, the door closing with mute click of the latch behind him. A set of waist-high bookshelves followed the walls around the room, filled with a jumble of mismatched books that didn't seem to be filed in any semblance of order. He wasn't sure whether to be amused at finding the Warrior Angel comic book pushed between the Astronomy and World History books or to be horrified. Along the top of the shelves delicate creations of fanciful musical instruments were displayed, the variety held here revealing an appreciation of the quality craftsmanship. The absence of dust showing that the pieces were cared for, but the lack of wear on the strings and valves revealed that this was a collection for collection's sake.

He skirted two dark blue plush couches and matching armchairs until he came upon a wooden music stand that had been stained in a lighter shade of walnut than the bookshelves. Lex tried to place the composer but the writings were as unfamiliar as the sweeping lines that seemed to relate the notes used on what he thought said 'zinolaug,' whatever that happened to be. When he turned around towards the first bookcase segment, intending to retrieve the hidden comic, he realized with a muffled, "Oh shit!" that he had missed something in his observations of this room: the young boy that laid sleeping under a wash-worn quilted blanket upon the couch that had been turned away from the door.

The slow and steady breaths relieved Lex; the sleeping boy had not been disturbed by his careless slip of the tongue. Lex had to shake his head at his appalling mental lapse, recalling now the quiet single rap on the door before the young girl had left him, another person who's name he had failed to retrieve. His father would have had fits of _something_, unsure whether laughter or disgust would have won out, had he been present to witness Lex's floundering. Grateful that this was not actually happening in the waking world Lex let his eyes wander over the child.

Unruly riot of black curls fanned across the couch cushion, dark against the shockingly pale skin, deep bruises under the closed eyes sending a flag of illness marching through Lex's mind. The Administrator's words making more sense as memories of his mother's failing health paired off with "crisis" and her admonition to make 'him' comfortable. Gaze turned inward as Lex remembered his father giving the nurses and servants the same command when Lillian had been prescribed with bed rest. Faced with this boy's apparent illness Lex was suddenly struck with uncertainty, could he play companion to him? Would the memories of how he had failed in finding the cure for his mother keep him from fulfilling his role as an older brother to this boy?

"You're new," the sleep thickened voice jolted his attention back to the room. How long had he stood there sifting through his memories? Startling green eyes, large and blinking in sleepy curiosity, watched him as the boy gathered the quilt around his shoulders and sat up.

Caught between the urge to apologize for waking him and his father's teachings, Lex decided to offer instead a small twist to his lips and a playful, "If you say so."

They looked at each other over in silence, the boy's cheeks slowly pinking as he fully woke. Lex waited until he had rubbed away the grit from his eyes, the action further cementing the feeling of _youth_ before he asked, "May I have a seat?"

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" Embarrassment tinged the boy's cheeks as he gestured with his hand to indicate that he could choose any seat, even the one next to him. "My mom would kill me if she found out I was so rude."

"Somehow, I don't see your mom finding out about it," Lex teased playfully as he moved towards the chair closest to the red-face kid who ducked his head trying to hide his blushing.

"You're right," he replied. The green eyes shyly peek at him from under his bangs as he continues, "But it doesn't stop it from being true."

A bright grin his reward as Lex chuckled and relaxed into the deep cushioned chair, "Well, let's fix theses social faux pas and start over, shall we? I'm Alexander, though I prefer Lex, newly assigned to be your companion, and I'm currently having one of the most amusing dreams I've had in the past year or two."

Confusion crossed the boy's face as he tilted his head to the side, "A dream? This isn't a dream, Lex."

He smiled, "Not to you, but I've had enough of them to know the difference. They can be very liberating in comparison to the real world."

"I dunno," bemusement colored the boy's voice as he thought about what Lex had said. "I'd be kind of attached to the real world if I had a choice."

He watched the boy trying to look at him from the side of his vision, trying to study him without being obvious. "It's okay to look," Lex said softly as he brushed his bare scalp, "I've been bald since I was nine."

The boy shook his head, "I..I wasn't looking at that." A fresh wave of color stained the too pale cheeks, flustered he continued, "I was just wondering…"

"Yes?" Lex asked calmly.

The boy tugged his blanket closer as if he were chilled, "I've never had a male companion before. I don't know what to do."

"How about you let me worry about that? It is my duty to make sure you're entertained." Lex arched a brow at the boy, crossing his eyes for a brief moment as he asked, "You _are_ entertained, aren't you?"

The giggle that he managed to pull was worth the slight eyestrain, "Oh good. I'd hate to think I was boring."

Lex gave him enough time to calm himself, unobtrusively monitoring for signs of distress. It was then he realized he didn't know how to summon anyone for help should something go wrong, the room having no phone or visible means of communication. How did they know what he wanted? Did they have the entire building monitored? The thought made his flesh crawl; he was struck again with the uncertainty of his ability to care for such a child.

"You know, we never finished the introductions."

The dark head dropped in mortification and the moaned out "Mom would've been sooo embarrassed of me" made Lex chuckle. Without warning the light from outside grew dimmer, however, the sky that could be seen from the stained glass dome overhead was clear. Lex figured an unseen cloud had started to shift over the sun, but his vision continued to darken and the world shifted nauseatingly under his seat. He caught the wide-eyed worry shining from bright green eyes, and he would be damned if he failed to get this person's name as well. As his world shrank down to nothingness and blood roared in his ears, Lex croaked out.

"Who are you?"

"He's coming around, Mr. Luthor," a woman's voice called out.

"Well don't just stand there, woman," Lionel's voice barked out, harsh and graveled, "Go and retrieve the doctor, he seems to have gone astray."

"Yes, Mr. Luthor," the woman replied, her harried voice followed by the rapid click of heels on the laminate floors.

His lids felt glued shut but Lex was determined not to show any more weaknesses in front of his father. He heard the rustle of expensive clothes draw closer, smelled the distinctive mix of aged scotch and expensive cologne as he felt the brush of his father's hair touching his cheek. Lids parted briefly before the pain of overly sensitive eyes forced them shut, and he listened as the spine shivering words brushed his consciousness.

"Welcome back Lex."


	4. The Unsound Assembly

Between unexpected and unwelcomed house guests that couldn't be bothered by the rigors of being polite, starting my own business, and touching bases with family I hadn't spoken to since '91...It's been a crazy year since I left my job a year ago, and in that year, well, my muse just wasn't speaking to me. But I've pretty much chained myself to my keyboard in an effort to get this first half of chapter 3 written, and while I'm not quite certain it's up to snuff, it's better than nothing. Right? Yup! Also, the second half of chapter 3 shouldn't be too long in the making. Certainly not as long as between chapter 2 and 3. Enjoy!

* * *

Elevator doors slid open with a soft thump and the low drone that usually filled the air faded to nothingness. The melodious chime seemed overly loud to Lex's ears in comparison but his entrance was as it always is. Determined and assured. Lex knew there would be rumors flying the halls of LuthorCorp; he expected to be watched carefully for signs of weakness, especially since he'd been released from the hospital a scant six hours earlier. _'Father's drones are watching,'_ he reminded himself, _'waiting for me to falter.'_ When Lex's stride brought him to his personal secretary's desk his demeanor betrayed nothing of the discomfort he suffered.

He noted that in his absence Danielle had not been replaced, her ginger brown eyes met his own as they always have, steady with that hint of concern, "I'll be in my office today catching up from the last Friday I was in," at Lex's words the overall volume of the murmuring voices resumed. "Please see to it that I am not disturbed."

The even tones of her, "Of course, Mr. Luthor," trailed after him as he continued to the door of his office. He paused in the act of shutting out the rest of the company and added as an afterthought, "I'd also like to review the reports pertaining to the lab accident on my desk within the hour, if you will, Danielle."

The solidness of the door against his back, the utter silence that fell upon his ears a welcome relief, tension crawling up his neck easing away much as the noise itself had. Even though Lex wanted to have spent this day recuperating in the comforts of his own bed, or at the very least, obtained a full night's rest, he knew that his father would have taken further advantage of his absence to undermine his control of his projects. His eyes scanned his office as he moved away from the door, alighting on each piece of furniture and the items that lay upon them noting how untouched his space looked. It didn't seem right, after being away for nearly three weeks there should have been some evidence of neglect, some feeling of _not fitting._

_-- "Son, you've had us so worried," Lionel reached out as if to brush his face, but the manicured hand wavered and instead returned to rest on the edge of his bed. --_

His instinctive need to pull away from his father, even in memory, manifested no further physically than tightening the muscles in the back of his neck, but his heart skipped a couple of beats before settling. He took a spare moment to breathe in deeply and slowly exhaled, steeling himself for the next step. For as surely as his father expected Lex to be contrary, Lex expected his father to not let slip this opportunity to berate his heir for any grievous affront to the Luthor name committed by Lex, no matter how trivial it may seem.

It seemed to Lex that he had no sooner sat down at his desk than the door to his office was pushed open and his father smoothly entered; stride unfaltering despite the minor obstacle the closed door had presented. Beyond his father's approaching figure Lex could make out the apologetic look that Danielle had shot him before she drew the doors closed with a quiet snick. If his father wanted to time his arrival for when Lex had just begun orienting himself to work then he couldn't have done better than at that moment to arrive. Lex's inner voice made comments about checking the seat of his chair for transmitting signals and pressure plates, but Lex ignored it when Lionel's mouth opened to speak.

_-- "Son, you've had us so worried…" --_

"Lex," his father began, his rich voice vibrating with the same notes of concern from the evening before. "I believe your doctor clearly stated that you weren't to come to work for another three days. Why is it that I'm forced to come and ensure that you don't come to harm from your willful disregard of the doctor's restrictions?"

"Dad, you of all people should know that I hardly, if ever, pay much heed to what restrictions doctors place upon me." Lex felt the pull of his lips twist into his most recognizable smirk. He quit his position from behind his desk to retrieve drinks for his father and himself. Fear that his lingering headache being discovered by his father gave him the motivation to sacrifice the perceived tactical advantage of power and the concentration needed to make his movements 'normal' to give credence to his upcoming lies.

"Yes, you've always been a willful child," unseen by Lionel, Lex's hand briefly tightened on the bottle of scotch at his father's familiar words spoken with unfamiliar fondness. It made him wary of what his father was playing at, there was no one here to impress with his attempts at fatherly concern as there had been at the hospital. Lionel continued, drawing Lex out of his momentary pause, "Nonetheless, I am concerned. I do not want to return to my own work only to learn later that you had collapsed and had to be returned to the hospital."

Lionel waited until Lex was returning with the drinks and made eye contact before delivering his next words, "The doctors are not the only ones concerned about that headache that you reported when you regained consciousness."

_-- "Why am I here?" --_

"It no longer plagues me," the lie smoothly tumbled from his lips as he handed his father his drink, determined to ignore the echoes of their conversation from last night. "A hot shower and a few hours rest in my own bed was enough to set me to rights."

Lex steadily met his father's searching gaze, taking comfort in that small familiarity amidst this strangeness that he had awoken to. What happened to him that his father could disregard years of teachings on how emotions made one weak? What caused this _aberration_ in his father that had him seeking him out to warn him from harm's way instead of his usual method of ignoring him beyond the initial disdain for the amount of time it took for Lex to recover? Lex didn't have much time to further worry the questions, his father having found what he was looking for and raising his glass in a silent toast.

When his father eventually removed himself from his office, Lex sank back into his chair with a silent sigh of relief, his head aching with the same degree of skull-splitting throbbing that had plagued him the night before. Spots of light danced at the edges of his vision despite his closed lids, and he could feel the fine muscle tremors that weakened his limbs. His stomach was trying to decide where it was going to throw its lot, with his will or against it? Lex breathed slowly, gathering the threads of his self-control and focused on sorting what he learned when he awoke in the hospital.

His father had been the only occupant in the private room, hovering over him much like the specter of Death itself. Fully expecting some sort of cut down masked under layers of false-concern for appearance's sake to come spewing from his lips, Lex was thrown off balance when what sounded like genuine worry tripped out instead. _Never leave yourself vulnerable to attack, from _any_ quarter._ His father's teachings, his life's lesson dictating his actions and responses when he was incapable of doing more than groggily taking note of the hospital room he found himself in.

_-- "Son, you've had us so worried," Lionel reached out as if to brush his face, but the manicured hand wavered and instead returned to rest on the edge of his bed._

"_Why am I here?" Lex spat out ignoring his father's attempts at parental concern, confusion and anger pushing grogginess aside. Though his voice was dry, the raspy quality lent support to his scowl to show his distaste for having found himself within these walls, to cover for his weaknesses and his confusion at his father's odd behavior. Lex turned his head to examine the machinery and tubing further to help ease the pain in his eyes from the overly bright light coming from the observation window._

"_You've been in a coma for the past four days now, missing for two weeks prior to that," continued Lionel's words as if he hadn't been interrupted._

_That bit of information had been shocking enough for Lex that he whipped his head around to stare aghast at his father. Lex barely managed to strangle back the cry of pain that tried to escape his throat; he sucked in his breath through clenched teeth in a bid for control. Pain throbbed from temples to just behind his eyes and back again, he could feel his father's hands trying to keep him from further harming himself from grinding his palms into his eyes._

"_Easy, Lex, don't push so hard," though Lex had been regaining his strength and clarity of mind with each passing moment, his weakened body was hardly a match against his father's determination. --_

Lionel explained as the doctors examined him that Lex was reported missing after not being able to be reached by cell phone and questioning the building security revealed that one of the early morning cleaning staff had discovered him unconscious and unresponsive upon the floor. The woman had immediately notified security of Lex's condition, they had then called for medical assistance. Medical personnel arrived, retrieved him and then no one was sure what happened after the ambulance drove away. His father had been notified that his son was being taken to the hospital, but Lex had never arrived. Metropolis General had never received the call to retrieve the Luthor heir; the police believed that the phone call had been hijacked. So where had he been? What had been done to him?

Lex sat and rubbed small circles on his temples even as his mind chased itself in circles until a double tap on his office door brought Lex out of his musings. Even as he called out for the person to enter he arranged his features into a semblance of controlled calm and was inwardly relieved to see was nothing more than the documents he had requested of his secretary. With a nod of thanks Lex turned his focus to unraveling the mystery of the cause for the accident. Perhaps with some progress on that problem he'd remember something that could help him solve the other mysteries that made up his past couple weeks.

* * *

A crease formed between fair brows as Lex unearthed an unopened letter from one of his suppliers mixed in the pile of correspondence that was the result of several weeks of his absence. Why hadn't this been opened? Why hadn't it been forwarded to Izanami, his head researcher? His eyes noted the postmarked date on the envelope even as his hand retrieved the letter opener from his desk. Two weeks before the test date, when all of the needed materials had been assembled and calibrated.

His mind whirled with questions even as the envelope parted and exposed the bundle of papers within. Letter opener set aside to pull out the correspondence, eyes quickly taking in the words printed on the harmless-looking page.

_Mr. Luthor,_

_We've received your notification in regards to the changes made in the materials to be used in the backing component of the energy absorption pads. Please be aware that we are happy to accommodate any changes to your order that you may have at any time. However, changes may lead to delays in the shipment's arrival date in our efforts to maintain the quality in our products that we advertise._

_This new material, while more easily prepared on our end, would not provide adequate electrical insulation over prolonged use. While we understand these patches are being used during the testing phases of your project, we feel that the change may cause potential heat damage to the object they are being used on. Please see the attached files for specific data._

_Rondel Markson, Lead Researcher_

_Metropolis Dye-cut Tech_

_(801) 555-2843, ext-355_

The letter opener found itself flung across the room, lost somewhere behind the bookcase and the couch, narrowly missing a delicately crafted vase in its flight. A moment was all he needed to rein in his rage, pick up his phone and dial the phone number for one Rondel Markson. Soon to be unemployed if he could not provide sufficient answers to his questions.

* * *

Danielle's customary double tap to his door, while unusual for this time of day, was a welcome distraction from his inquiries and what he believed to be memories from his missing weeks resurfacing. Confusing visions of twisting corridors that lead to a library of sorts, bright flashes of light reflected off of what seemed to be hundreds of tiny mirrors, and the haunting feelings of sickness and helplessness. At his bidding the doors opened to reveal a cart laden with a variety of chilled fruit and covered dishes being pushed in by an employee from the cafeteria. Lex could not help the frown that pulled at his mouth and directed a silent question at his secretary who oversaw the placement of the cart.

She wisely waited for the man to leave and the click of the closing office door before turning back to Lex. "Your brunch," Danielle stated with a graceful gesture of her hand towards the tray.

"I don't recall requesting a meal," his words were cold, displeased by the inadequate explanation.

Her cheeks pinked slightly as her eyes turned downcast, "Your father sent this to ensure that you ate something of nutritional value," her pause was barely perceptible even as brown eyes returned to his. "'We would hardly want it said that we worked Lex to collapse so soon after his return.' I'm to ensure that this tray at least returns half empty."

He felt the frown pulling at the corners of his mouth even as he recognized his father's words. Could he trust his father's newfound parental concern? Not from his experience, he answered himself even as he moved to take in what adorned the cart. Many of his favorite foods obviously intended to tempt him into partaking of the fare. Was this another of his father's tests? Would accepting this overture at face value prove to be a Trojan horse later when he was least expecting it? Could he afford to reject his father's efforts?

"I'll be sure to eat something Danielle, thank you." She nodded at his dismissal and moved to leave his office.

"Danielle?" Lex's voice, velvet rich and intimately low, halted her progress.

"Yes, Mr. Luthor?" The short auburn locks swayed slightly as her head turned back towards him, a hint of the side of her face visible over her shoulder.

"I seem to have misplaced my letter opener somewhere behind the couch and bookcase, I'll need another."

She briefly wondered at what had occurred to result in such a reaction, but her words or voice didn't betray her curiosity. "Of course, Mr. Luthor," she replied and withdrew to the outer offices leaving him alone with his notes, thoughts, and the cart of late breakfast.

* * *

Two hours later Danielle knocked on Lex's office door and waited for him to acknowledge her presence. She worried that he had pushed himself too hard today coming in, there had been tiny lines bracketing his mouth and he had just seemed _off_. Lex hadn't acknowledged her presence longer than it took to grant her request to enter his office, and from the state of the food cart Lex hadn't done more than look under the lids. A tiny puff a breath from her nose, easily misconstrued as slight overexertion, was the only sign of disappointment in her manner as she discretely removed a small variety of food from the tray and disposed of it in her trashcan. Replacing the lids, she pushed the cart to the elevators to await the cafeteria staff for retrieval.

She could have told the senior Luthor that Lex wouldn't have touched the food; he hardly touched the food that she ordered for him during his lunches. Those were ones that came from a carefully crafted menu contrived by his nutritionist to make certain he didn't become malnourished between his quarterly check ups. Danielle settled herself at her desk, called the cafeteria and informed them of the pickup, and steeled herself for the inevitable confrontation.

* * *

The double tap on the closed office door brought the rapid keystrokes to a brief pause before summons brought about a cart of chilled fruit and grilled chicken salad. For nearly a week Lex had been interrupted by food carts brought to him by his secretary precisely at ten in the morning, two in the afternoon, and the last at 6 in the evening. At first he merely picked at the food, not truly interested in stopping his work, but his father had personally delivered his lunch tray the second day with further words of concern about his health. It was a suspicious and wary response to the unusual behavior from his father that had him inviting Izanami to his office to 'share' his lunch so that they could discuss what exactly went wrong with their project.

"Smells delicious, Danielle, thank you for bringing it in," Lex gave her a slight smile as he saved his work and moved out from behind his desk.

Danielle's eyes crinkled as she bobbed her head while asking happily, "Would you like me to bring anything else?"

Lex gave a quick scan of the food items on the cart, more plentiful than what he usually consumed in a sitting, as usual, "Everything seems to be in order."

She left without further delay and Lex set himself to making an acceptable dent in the food, his mind unable to stop tugging at the different displays of oddness that Lionel had allowed to be seen. His father had been solicitous, kind, and had even inquired about his health and well-being. He didn't know how to treat this kinder and gentler Lionel so he remained polite but wary. Were he a more paranoid man, prone to extreme theories, he would have arranged for his father's room to be searched for a replacement-pod.

The inconsistencies weren't restricted to small behavioral changes either. There had been the week's worth of paid medical leave so that he could recover fully from his unusual ailment at the Luthor ancestral home in Smallville, a generous offer presented by Lionel personally but Lex had turned it down. Lex had long ago vowed that he wouldn't set foot in that accursed town again unless his very life depended on it. And he wasn't sure if that was enough to prod him in Smallville's direction. Lionel had taken to showing up at Lex's office at precisely 7:30 pm to ensure that Lex didn't overtax his health, despite Lex's protests that he was fine.

"_Allow your father some measure of ease by seeing his son end his work day as he started it."_ Lionel would patiently wait for Lex to perform his closing rituals, drink in hand and seated comfortably in one of the overstuffed leather chairs. When Lex announced he was finished, Lionel would rise and silently escort Lex back to his residence within the Luthorcorp Tower.

As for his project, Izanami had presented to him copies of reports, requisition sheets, memos, and what seemed to be an endless stream of evidence that showed L. Luthor had ordered changes. Each change had been slight enough to be insignificant in and of themselves, minor enough to not warrant further verification. Together, however, had resulted in the disaster that set back their progress.

"Our replacement supplies have started to come in," Izanami offered before taking another bite of her salad. "They're being checked against my own notes on the materials that should have been used in the first run."

He considered her words, waiting till they both finished their food. "Your notes?"

She nodded, "Some of the materials had been altered within the computer logs. We've some people working on finding the where. Hopefully, we'll be able to find out the who."

A shark's grin flirted with the corners of his mouth at the prospect of finding their saboteur, but it was the thought of the potential payback that had it firmly in place. Izanami, having turned the laptop towards her to pull up new information, missed the change in Lex's expression but caught the intrigued look at the sketches.

"What is this?"

A quick flash of even, white teeth, "My roommate was responsible for this piece of work." She caught the narrowed eyes and sighed, "You know I have never revealed anything to Derek, and you _know_ he's never even hinted at what he suspects I do for you. I merely asked him if he'd like a new blanket set for Christmas this year." The laptop was turned back towards Lex so that he could see more clearly. "He thinks the women you send to fish for information from him are very hot, and his reputation around his workplace has never been better."

"I don't know what you're talking about," he murmured with a hint of humor.

"Mm-hmm," she hummed, "he's been dreaming of a nice petite Asian woman with a penchant for long electric blue hair. Personally I preferred the violets and acid greens."

At Lex's arched brow she added, "I told him I haven't dyed my hair since I was in high school, but I'd pass it along for him anyways."

Lex said nothing, filed the information away, and focused on Izanami's words. "We started on blankets to harness thermal energy of one or more sleepers, but as my roommate so eloquently phrased it…"Blankets are great in the winter and for picnics, but don't do jack shit when they've been kicked to the floor the rest of the year." So, a proposed line of sleep gear, such as a lightweight cap. The mesh allows for flexibility so that the strands don't take damage when conforming to the individual's head shape."

Lex nodded, "Look into socks, thin enough to prevent the foot from overheating while they sleep. Jewelry for daywear."

Their meeting was called to an end when Danielle retrieved the lunch cart and passed on that Izanami's presence had been called back to the laboratories. Lex returned to his desk and the lists of projects that needed some form of action or another on his part. It wouldn't do to have his father call him to task for neglecting his primary duties to LuthorCorp while pursuing his own endeavors. Besides, he wanted to have a noticeable measure of progress to show for his time when his evening meeting with his father rolled around.

* * *

Oddly enough the dinner with his father was its usual stressing event for Lex. Granted, he didn't have to unravel the usual fifteen layers of subtext in his father's words, nor did he have to bury his own. Much. Their food was a simple affair, fruit and pasta, the portions smaller than what Lionel usually commanded. Lionel himself was dressed formally, no doubt another dinner event scheduled for later in the evening.

They spoke much as they often had before his disappearance, which businesses seemed to be floundering, what assets to the Luthor empire his father had his eye on. His contributions to the conversation were received with queries, his answers and arguments at the ready, freeing his mind to spend that time observing his father's actions, dissecting his words. They consumed their food between rounds, a means of gathering their thoughts and planning their next move. Lionel watched him carefully as he ate, unnerving in its intensity that had he any hair upon his head it'd be standing on end.

Lex placed his fork at the edge of his plate before capturing his father's gaze, "I'm fine Dad." He watched as his father did the same with his fork before continuing, "You did raise me to be a Luthor, and Luthors do not break. Delicate is nowhere in that lexicon."

Abashed, Lionel turned his head away, a faint hint of color stole from his beard line to his collar, "You're right, but I can't help but worry." His eyes returned to latch on to Lex's own, "Despite what you may think of me, Lex, you are _my_ son, and I am entitled to be concerned when you..." His father's voice was low, tinged with a hint of agitation that had him trailing off. Focused on trying to predict what his father would do next left him unprepared for the rapid and intense headache, making it impossible to suppress the wince.

"What's the matter, Lex?" Though it was difficult to be confident of his assessment, his pulse having taken up residence in his eardrums, his father's voice sounded genuinely alarmed.

Fingertips rubbing at his temples Lex rose to his feet, "Just a migraine, nothing to worry about. Some aspirin and water and I should be fine in a couple of hours." He wasn't sure if his bid for self-control was successful, but he hoped his voice portrayed steadiness. The last thing he needed was for his father to smother him with his newfound 'concern.'

The sounds of Lionel rummaging in his desk drawer and the rattle of a pill bottle caught his attention. But as he turned towards the noise the world shifted under his feet in the opposite direction, tippling him to his emergency meeting with the coffee table. Lex was never sure if the warm wetness that splashed on his cheeks were a figment of his imagination or evidence that his father actually had a heart.


	5. The Unsound Assembly cont

This worked itself out much faster than anticipated, which is great for me and you. I'm hoping that the next two chapters parts will work out as easily so that things can be more clear as to what is going on within this little story. :) I hope you guys enjoy, and thank you for sticking it out with me through this.

* * *

He felt weightless in the watery depths, almost…empty. He does not feel cold, nor does he feel warm. The inky blackness around him is comforting, very much like the goose down comforter, once blanketed his mother's bed, used to cloak him while he hid underneath from Lionel's presence. It is not the outside that is empty then, he decides, but what fills him. Empty of want and of drive and of motivation.

But that is not what he is, not what makes him, _him._ Right? Lex frowned slightly at this, or at least he tried to frown. He's not sure if it was a successful attempt, his face doesn't feel like it's cooperating with him. Lex examines his emptiness as best as he is able, probes at its insides and discovers that it feels idle, but not in a waiting for motion kind of way. More like a lazy kind of idle. 'Otiose' his sluggish brain offers up. Yes, he nods, pleased at having accomplished this feat of mental acuity.

More words float past him, their velvety softness brushing his lips, teasing them into parting and granting a taste of their flavor on his parched tongue. Groundless. Trivial. They roll full-bodied upon his taste buds leaving their meanings for him to identify. His tongue whispers to his ear, speaking of secret hollowness and it whispers back. Wants to know. What fills the inside of hollowness?

Moving slowly within the darkness his lips slide open to wait, a passing curiosity as to when they drew closed, it wouldn't do to scare the velvet words away. A feather-light touch presses the center of his tongue and pulls away. Once. Twice. Thrice to curl slowly, coaxing the word-fish to settle, and when it does it's strangely cold and bumpy against his wet flesh.

Eagerly his tongue strokes the rounded fish, it gains warmth even as he explores its body. His tongue finds a small indentation and the tip of his tongue burrows quickly to discover what lies within. He finds disappointment, there is nothing; it is nugatory. Nuuuu-gatory.

"Nuuuuuu," he half moans in the darkness, distracted by the tickle in his sinuses at the sound he makes. Part of his brain recognizes the transitory attention span, though he cannot recall where he managed to find the drugs that brought him the velvet word-fish. He rather likes this feeling and it saddens him that he won't be finding them again any time soon. He doesn't see himself asking his normal contacts for the velvet word-fish drugs. The idea of that loss brings sorrow, which brings him pain.

No…

It's the ringing slap to his face that brings him pain, pulls his sluggish brain on-line. Something doesn't feel right. His room was far too bright, his clothes were far too damp, and as far as he knew he didn't order the dominatrix wake-up service for this morning.

"Wake up!" The barked order confirmed the gender of his alarm clock and he momentarily found himself ruing his unfortunate luck of not getting the model with the caring instincts of a mother figure.

"Slap me again and you'll never find work this side of the Pacific Coast," he growled back through gritted teeth. That drug must be more hallucinogenic than he thought because he could have sworn he heard her laugh at his threat, a throaty purr of a laugh that had more than his curiosity perking up.

His curiosity gave him the focus needed to push his pain into a more manageable size and his leaden lids lifted enough so that he could seek out the woman who had dared so much in so little time. Through watery eyes he first spotted a long column of black with spots of chrome and patches of gray breaking the solid color standing out of reach of his hands at his head. Blinking his eyes rapidly helped sharpen the form into the appropriate pieces.

His eyes drifted over armored toes, lingered on wickedly tall stiletto heels, climbed the long ladder of delicate chrome latch-buckles which secured the black thigh high leather boots to a pair of the longest legs he had laid eyes on in quite some time. Lex took no time to rest his gaze on the smooth curve of a gently cocked hip, the gray accents in the leather bodysuit skillfully drawing his gaze up to a downward pointed pentagonal shield. The longest point stretched from her navel over a lean midriff and joined the main body that sat nestled beneath the arch of her ribs. Within the shield was the only splash of color on her clothes, an electric blue stylized-S that pressed against the shield's boundaries.

While his rapidly awakening mind sifted through his mental lists for clues to what entity this symbol belonged to, his eyes continued up over noticeably armored breasts, firm and aggressive in her proud stance. Pulled back shoulders shifted and it drew his focus to the muzzle of a very, VERY large gun that was swinging around to point at him. _'You mean plasma cannon,'_ the comic book aficionado corrected even as his eyes met the woman's.

"On your feet," she barked, the jumping of her jaw muscle attracted his attention even as she continued, "This is a restricted zone."

Lex rolled slowly onto his side, taking the opportunity to look around as he climbed warily to his feet. He noted that his bed for the evening had been the lawn of some sort of unfamiliar estate. Three stories of whimsical architecture that spoke of extravagance of a level that would be most likely matched by his own father's castle foolishness. Twin mahogany doors were graced with the same insignia that marked his alarm clock's body armor, only the border was fashioned from gold metal and the letter was of silver. He still couldn't bring to mind the owner's name of the logo, but years of privilege had taught him that restricted zones meant nothing to the Luthor name.

He realized, when he drew to his full height, that the woman was just as tall as he. Time to assert his privileged status. He called upon every lesson learned from his father's hand, pulling his mantle of authority around himself as he did every day. "Do you know who I am?"

Lex experienced a flicker of admiration when her eyes narrowed dangerously, showing him that she had no fear of whatever he represented. Leather creaked softly as she stepped slightly closer towards his personal space; her voice was cold with its menacing softness.

"It doesn't matter who you are." A soft wind tugged long strands of her loose walnut-colored hair across the bridge of her nose. She ignored it in favor of keeping the cannon steady on him, "There are no visitors to this estate, _and you_ are not expected by either one of the master residents."

She took another menacing step at him, practically growling, "The Council hasn't authorized any guests and you aren't displaying the appropriate ID."

Ire burned fast and bright through his veins, "I've never needed ID, I would think my looks were distinctive enough." He brushed his bare scalp with his hand, disturbing some grass debris that had stuck to the back of his head. Contempt dripped from his voice as a sneer pulled at his features, "I also have never been denied audience with anyone, let alone some unknown, _insignificant_ upstart."

A powerful backhand spun him around and had him back on the ground before he had registered her movement, stars dancing in the blue sky of his vision. Damn, she was good. The taste of copper filled his mouth and he spat it out in preparation of facing her again.

"That is enough," another woman's voice cut through the ringing in his ears. It wasn't too much effort to imagine another Amazon woman, similarly built and attired as his alarm clock. The order carried the authority of the unnoticed newcomer easily, an adept student of the "Speak softly and carry a big stick" school of command.

Gingerly probing his wounded cheek with his tongue Lex regained his feet as the Amazon focused on someone outside his view and snarled, "I will decide when it is enough."

'_She's ballsy,'_ he thought admiringly as he considered turning to watch both women, only deciding to remained focused on the first woman due to the fact that she had already proved to be physically inclined to cause him injury.

The new woman's voice grew quieter, slower, familiarity with his own methods warned him that she's most likely more dangerous at this point, "You dare question my authority? Are you telling me you are ready to be forgotten?"

The Amazon visibly paled under her sun-darkened skin at the last question, an intriguing effect considering that none of the words were extraordinary enough on their own to warrant such a reaction. He is sorely tempted to turn and see this person who can strike such fear in his Amazon, but the steadiness of her aim and her volatile reactions to his presence keeps him focused on her light green eyes.

"He doesn't belong," she motioned at him with her cannon, he cannot bring himself to think of it as her gun. A gun he would stand some modicum of a chance of wresting control away from her. "He has no ID," her replies seem to be loosing their harsh edge.

"Of course he has no ID, Zara, he's new _here,_" her voice made it seem to be a perfectly reasonable occurrence for Lex to be found sleeping on strange lawns, like some odd, rare living lawn gnome. She placed emphasis on the strangest words. "Turn around so that I know where to send you."

With permission granted Lex straightened his shoulders and turned, fully expecting another Amazon but found instead a wisp of a woman. He struggled to keep his expression from betraying his miscalculation and scrambled to reassess the – ah, woman? She looked to be in her late teens at the oldest, pale skin unblemished by the ravages that plagued the typical modern teen. Honeyed hair clipped by silver bands kept its short strands from moving into her range of vision from the wind's gentle tugging. Her uniform was more in accordance with his mental image of a uniform, yet different than what he was expecting from this place.

Instead of blacks and grays broken by chrome and electric blue, her dress consisted of a short, no-frills dark tan skirt topped by a long sleeved blouse of a lighter tan hue. Her boots were a few inches shy of her knees, but they too looked to be more durable than the typical boot. He found her badges pined to her collar tips and crafted of the same silver-in-gold model as the estate doors.

Ice blue eyes seemed to be studying him even as he studied her but his observations were cut short when she gasped. Recognition flared in her eyes and Lex felt the rush of vindication as it filled him, "You know who I am then?"

She ignored his question, but drew closer until she was nearly flush with his body. He kept himself under tight control, resisting the urge to flinch away when she reached up a hand to stroke his face. From temple to chin, the butterfly caress kissed the left side of his face, too light to draw pain from his injured cheek. It felt distantly familiar, somehow, but he didn't dwell long upon that feeling when her expression shifted from awed softness to narrow-eyed rage.

"Do you know whom you've damaged?" focus turned fully on Zara, her hissed words fairly dripped with venom, yet her fingertips gently rested at his jaw line.

"He had no marker!" Zara's anger flared anew in the face of the smaller woman's fury. Lex had to call upon all his years of training under his father's tutelage not to flinch at the sudden and explosive anger filled words that flew between the two women.

"He needed no marker, he was the first! Can you not see it? Or does your pride prevent you from admitting your error?" There was the briefest of pauses, hardly any time to expect a response. "You had better hope that word of your careless injuries upon this body doesn't reach the ear of Kay, or we will _all_ pay for it."

A hand wrapped around his upper arm, the grip tight enough to make him wince when he was jerked around to face Zara's scowling visage. Before he could do more than utter a sound of protest, Lex found her roughly maneuvering his face by his chin-turned-handle so that she could better examine him.

Her disgust was evident in her expression and deed as she released his mauled jaw, "He's _different_; he should not have been here unattended." Lex found himself staring down the barrel of her hand cannon once more, his ears catching the whine of it charging. "We can just solve this right now," she offered cheerfully helpful.

Lex could feel the painful thud of his heart when he heard the building whine peek and steady out. "Do I need to summon Kay?" the smaller woman's voice had grown deadly quiet once again.

An eternity of seconds passed where Lex's brain seemed to be locked on what exactly was going to happen to his extensive Warrior Angel Comic collection when Zara pulled the trigger and ended his life. Who could possibly appreciate them as much as he? Who would remember to check the environmental controls that guarded his most prized editions from the ravages of heat, humidity, and dust? He hadn't even considered the nightmare of finding a home for his collector's edition action figures. Oh god, the fan-done art and the custom se–

Zara's low growl brought his attention back in time to see her power down her gun and snarled, "No, you take him. I don't want to have to clean up the lawn." She stalked away towards a smaller building off to the side of the main estate, managing the lawn remarkably well for a woman in stiletto heels.

"I apologize for Zara," the sighed words and contrite tones kept him from mentally wandering, "she is too accustomed to the retrieval duties that cater to Kay's tastes. I am Kyanna, please, follow me and we will get this sorted out."

Lex heard Kyanna start to move in the opposite direction from the estate and he asked while he spun to follow, "Who is Kay? Is he the one in charge –" He trailed off when he found himself standing on what looked to be a train platform waiting among a crowd of strangely dressed people patiently awaiting their transportation's arrival.

When he twisted back around he found that there was no sign of the sprawling estate lawn, the house was nowhere to be seen. All he laid eyes on were a number of moderately tall buildings that would not have been out of place in some of the science-fiction novels he had read as a child. What in the world happened? How did he get here without experiencing the journey?

"Kay is one of the master residents," if she had noticed his momentary floundering she gave no indication, merely continued speaking. "He is usually in residence, but there has been a couple of incidents in the last few years that called him away."

"The other residents?" Lex asked after some consideration, which drew a questioning stare from his diminutive companion. "You mentioned that he was one of several, I am merely trying to orient myself here."

"There is one other, he has not taken a name as of yet and he isn't in residence often. It is difficult to explain, but when Kay is gone then he is here."

"And Zara works for Kay?"

She gave a slight shrug, "Zara and I both serve in the same capacity with many other Enforcers for the both of them. We provide the master residents with anything they may want or need while maintaining our home," she gestured towards the skyline of the city that lay behind them.

Both of their attention was drawn by the burst of girlish laughter not far from where they stood. They watched as two young girls played an unusual version of a clapping game. An oversized brass ring twirled around one set of their clasped hands while their free hands darted in and out of the orbiting ring to meet, greet, and occasionally tweak. Their clasped hands parted and the orbiting ring was then passed from one wrist to another between the two girls as they continued to clap rhythmically. Their lips moved, forming words too quiet to overhear, showing easy familiarity with their game.

"Round the Rao," she murmured fondly before turning towards the tracks where a bullet train came to a stop.

Lex watched as the doors parted and everyone began to pile in. He noticed a distinct lack of pushing and rudeness that would have been normal in any of the Metropolis subways. His feet moved to follow when the young woman moved to enter the train. He blinked and found himself comfortably seated in one of the cars, victim to another skip in consciousness. Kyanna had not noticed his lack of attention, but she had continued to speak while he was not aware.

"You, however, should appeal for a Change of Status. It should grant you more freedom within the city if it is approved."

_Change of Status_ application? There was something he vaguely remembered about that phrase.

"We could always leave your status as it is," she mused aloud, "though being forgotten isn't as easy to revoke as some may wish."

"Forgotten?" He asked, finally drawing her attention away from the window. Wasn't being forgotten what she had threatened Zara with? "None of this is making any sense," he murmured while rubbing at his forehead.

"It makes perfect sense when you let it," she flashed a small smile at his difficulty. "The Forgotten are forgotten. They have no function other than to exist on the outskirts of the main city."

"Out of sight, out of mind," Lex mused which earned him a quick nod in agreement.

"Exactly, they are forgotten. They have no place within the city, no rights, no name. Only the Enforcers and the Information Runners may deal with them directly," she instructed. "Even then, there are protocols that must be adhered to."

"Of course," he continued to watch the rest of the passengers on the train. He spotted the two girls who had been playing with the brass ring. They looked to be behaving themselves, their subdued giggles and whispered words respectfully low in the enclosed quarters. Their whispering drew to a halt when another young girl approached them and they seemed to wait expectantly.

The light blond hair bobbed when she spoke, hands gesturing broadly to outline a shape. The seated girls glanced at each other before they held up their brass ring in offering. The blond took the ring and examined it closely, and as if a floodgate were opened, questions poured out leaving the two girls barely enough time to answer 'yes' or 'no'.

Kyanna noticed his preoccupation this time around and turned to see what had caught his attention. "Info-Digger," she clarified at the questioning look in his eyes.

At those words he knew, he had somehow found himself back in that strange dream from a week ago. Lex looked down at his clothes, not quite as surprised to see that, yes, he was still wearing the same pants. His fingertips brushed over his knees, the fabric worn through more on the left than the right, and he sighed in resignation and rediscovering the hole-to-be.

Kyanna curiously watched as he shifted so that he could search his left back pocket and when he pulled out a single plastic card he asked, "Was this the ID that Zara said she could not find?"

She took his card to examine it, an exasperated sigh escaped when she nodded, "She probably never asked for it, didn't she?" It didn't seem she needed a response, but before she could continue speaking the card-face shimmered and emitted a soft, soothing chime. Kyanna gave him a quick grin, "Well, Companion, it would seem that you are needed." His card was handed back, "You'll need to exit at this next station, there will be a Guide waiting for you there."

The train glided to a stop, the first that Lex had been aware of, but by the brief look around at the previously filled seats, it was not the only stop that had occurred since he had boarded. He stood when a door previously unnoticed a few chairs down opened. "Thank you," he said by way of farewell.

A quick tug on the leg of his pants startled him, somehow having missed his disembarkment much like he missed his boarding. He looked down to find that it was the same girl that had led him around the first time around. The bright smile emphasized by the multitude of mirrors dangling from her shirt dimmed when she took in the state of his appearance.

"What happened to your face?!"

He touched his swollen lip and chuckled wryly, "I woke up in a restricted zone."

She blinked her large green eyes, "Big Brotha', you're a fantasy! There _are_ no restricted zones." She shook her head and led the way through what looked like an unorganized garden of trees. Lex laughed softly at the title she dubbed him with, unsure if he was being complimented or just informed.

He decided to play along, "Well, Little Sister," she flashed him another grin without breaking her trotting gait, "the next time I'm being handed my ass by an Enforcer I'll let them know that."

Her tinkling laugh filled the air disturbing some resting birds into flight, and as his eyes followed their vivid yellow-red plumage into the blue sky he spotted his first sky rise building in this place. His feet drew to a halt as his eyes continued up. And up. _And up._ This architectural marvel, this delicately balanced feat of spires and half circles that struck him oddly like a multitude of oversized seashells. It struck him near speechless, "This is…"

"Safest place in the city," she finished for him proudly when it was obvious that he was at a loss for words.

"Really? Why is that?"

"The Enforcer Elite squads are housed here and we're in time to see them do some drills," she did a little skip dance in place before she led him around the side of the building.

What lay beyond the corner looked to be a doublewide football-field-sized training area with row after row of black-garbed soldiers. Lex's eyes drifted over the military aligned ranks facing three people at the front, awaiting further orders. Something buzzed in the back of his mind, something that he couldn't quite put his finger on. His feet followed his guide as she drew closer, eyes flickering over the ranks noting oddities.

Oddities like how it appeared that every person on that field seemed to be as tall if not taller than he. That none of them looked to be taller than the other by more than two inches. They were all lean, long of leg, danger and aggression proudly declared in their very pose. A command that he couldn't quite make out was barked out, harsh yet obviously female, and as one the waiting Enforcer Elites executed a right face exposing the one thing that had been niggling Lex's brain when he first laid eyes on them.

Every last one of them was a woman. Every last one of them also bore the same electric blue S-shaped marking on their right shoulder.

"Why not women?" piped the girl's voice beside him, he must have said something in his shock. Drawing his attention away from the sight of three hundred or so women marching in time with a belted out cadence. She held up her hand to tick off points on her fingers, "Women are generally known to have speed and agility. Studies of women divers showing more efficient oxygen consumption, while other studies have shown higher pain tolerance. Let's not forget to mention cunning and ferocity. Have you ever seen the female of any species fight for their offspring? You never wanna step in that kind of mess."

Lex raised his hands in mock surrender, "Of course, you are right my dear. Continue with showing me the way." He gestured back towards the way they were heading only to find that he had experienced another disorienting shift in his surroundings. He turned back hoping to find that his guide had not vanished as well but instead of bright smiles and reflected lights he found a low gate in a shrubbery wall.

_"How very Wonderland this has been turning out,"_ Lex thought to himself. After a moment of hesitation he pulled opened the little black gate and stepped into a hedge maze. Glancing to the right and then to his left, Lex debated which direction he should take to find the center of this maze. Then taking the advice his mother had once told him when he faced his first difficult maze puzzle, he placed his left hand on the gate wall and followed the path to the left.

Lex followed each turn his hand led him through, not lifting his fingers from the leaves of the bushes even when faced with a dead end. The last thing he wanted was to loose touch with the maze and turn around only to find that what had been behind him was no longer there. If he was going to loose his surroundings he was determined to _feel_ it change on him. After what seemed to be several hours of wandering he came upon the center of the maze.

A wooden floor covered the entire opening, much like an outdoor dance floor; only there was no dancing taking place. Just a dark haired young boy stretched out in the afternoon sun on a well-worn quilt, coloring in a coloring book. Piled near the crayons to his right sat a small stack of books. The boy hummed along with what seemed to be video game music piped through unseen speakers, kicking blue-socked feet gently in the air to the beat.

"Hello again," Lex called out softly.

The boy twisted around, the same startling green eyes met his own before startlement changed to joy at seeing him, "Lex!"

Green crayon was abandoned in his haste to gain his feet so that he could greet Lex as he wanted, words tripping over themselves in their excitement, "I worried when you disappeared last time." The boy was careful in picking his way around the quilt; a plate of snacks, juice box and a basket that Lex suspected held more food sat between him and the rapidly approaching kid.

"I was happy when I heard you had re-" the boy stopped in word and action when he caught a better look at Lex's battered appearance. "What happened?" he breathed.

Lex felt branded when the butterfly touch of the warmest fingers he had ever imagined ghosted over his jaw. A gentle pressure coaxed his face in turning to better assess the damage, and in his heart Lex knew that this was true concern, the compassion shining in the boy's eyes sincere. It made his father's attempt at the emotion appear elementary in comparison.

"I seem to have found a restricted zone," he answered simply. A slight head cock indicated curiosity even as the scowling brows on his innocent face made it difficult to contain his mirth, he continued speaking in effort to suppress the urge to let his laughter escape, "The Enforcer that did this was reprimanded. I've been assured that it will not happen again."

When his efforts failed to ease the scowl, Lex gestured towards the quilt, "Camping out?"

A slight hesitation on the boy's part showed that he knew what Lex was up to, but he didn't press the issue. Instead he flashed a small smile and beckoned Lex to join him in his activities. "I'm coloring," he explained, a red flush creeping up from his collar to burn brightly in his face.

"Mind if I join you?"

A bright smile lit up the boy's face, erasing all signs of his previous unhappiness and filling his chest with pleasure at how simple it had been to bring another joy with nothing more than his presence. "Sure! You can color in my favorite book."

Despite any of his protests to the contrary, Lex ended up sprawled out on his stomach, the unaccustomed feeling of his pants' button pressing into his flesh a minor irritation that he quickly forgot when the favored coloring book was passed over to him. Considering how he started his day, an afternoon bringing color to a partially colored Warrior Angel comic book was a welcomed improvement.

"Could you pass me the lavender crayon?"


End file.
